Manufacture of shoes having flexible foreparts



Oct. l, 1940..` M. cuozzo 2,216,159

MANUFACTURE OF SHOES HAVING FLEXIBLE FOREPARTS Filed Des. 14, 1938 2 Shee'ts-Sheet 1 ffm/ Oct-....Al, 1940. M. cuozzo 2,216,159

MANUFAGTURE OF SHOES HAVING FLEXIBLE FOREPARTS Filed'Deo. 14, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 hva-NTU@ Patented Oct. 1, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT ori-ICE i Application December 14, 193s, serial- No;` 245,695

8 Claims.

This invention relates toithe manufactureof shoes having flexible foreparts.

One object of my invention is to improve and simplify the-manufacture of shoesV having iiexible 521 foreparts more particularly with the idea of facilitating the commercial `production of such shoes, insuring uniformity in thenished product and reducing the expense ormanufacture thereof.

In making shoes in accordance withmy invention, in one of its aspects, I employ a last having a bottomplate that is detachably securedto its forepart as, `for example, `by means of interengaging devices on the plate and the last con- E structed and arranged to be disengaged by relative movement ofthe last and plate in a direction lengthwise of the last. To insure'flexibility in the shoe I prefer toV provide a forepart insole member of soft limpI material such as upper leather and tosecure thisrmember` temporarily 2'@` to the detachable bottom plate as by means of cement of limited adhesive power such that it will secure the insole member `to the `bottom plate so as firmly tohold it against lasting stress but will permit the plate toy be readily strippedV A from the insole member after theshoe has been substantially completed. In making the shoe, as herein illustrated, the margin of the upper is secured permanentlyin overlasted position upon the insole member in the forepart` of the shoe and upon a stili` heel and shank piece in the heel and shank portion of the shoel After a tread'sole has been attached to the shoe the last is pulled thereby detaching the last from the bottom plate and leaving the plate in the shoe. Thereafter the bottom plate is removed from the shoe by.

stripping or peeling the plate from the insole forepart member. The shoe may be made, however, without any insole member in its forepart, the overlasted margin of the upper being detachably secured directly to the bottom plate of the last as by means of cement of limited holding power andthe bottom plate being nally detached from the upper margin after the shoe has` been substantially completed and the last has been pulled. Alternatively, thebottom plate may be detach'-` ably securedin place upon the last by means of fastenings such as nails or screws, driven'through small holes in the plate into the wood of `the last and removed after the lasting operations have' been completed and before `the outsole is applied. ,i l l, The invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawingsin` which f 55 Fig. V1 is a perspective-,view ofa=portion' of a,

last having a detachable `bottom forepart;

iFig. 2 is a perspective Viewv of the last as itappearswhen the bottom'` plate has been removed;

Fig; Slis a perspective view of the detachable bottom plate `showingthe inner side thereof;

FigAe` is a perspective View of the forepart insole member; v

Fig. isfa bottom plan View of a portion of a mi shoe in process ofA manufacture, illustrating the use `ot, the last" provided withy the detachable bottomzplateshown in Figs. land 3;

Fig; 6 is a view, partially in side elevation and partially in section, of the shoe;

Figs: 'Tand 8 are,'cross-sectionalviews of the forepart ofthe shoe, illustrating different steps themanufactureof the shoe;

Fig. 9 is a` view, partially in cross-section and" partially .in perspective, of the shoe as it appears after the' last has-been pulled but before the. last bottom plate has been removed; i

; Fig.` 10 is a view, partially in perspectiveuand partially .in section;` of the completed shoe;

Fig; lilfis` aview similar'n to Fig. 9 but illustrat` 25 ing the practice oran alternative method of mak-,i ing the-shoe ,v and Fig; 12` is'a perspective view of a portion of a last having a bottom plate thereon and showing alternative means for detachably securing the am plateito therbody of the last.`

, In carrying out: my invention I` provide a lastV It,` having detachably secured to its body portion astii` and rigid bottom plate I8 which is coextensive with and entirely covers the forepart of,` 35, the" bodyportion of thelast and the marginal portion of which is preferably more or less bevelecl as indicated at 20 to impart a round botltom to the iorepart of the shoe. Thelast and` thelast plate areso constructed and arranged that-insalate dees not add to` the size of the 4t last but-'the last Wit'hithe plate attached thereto is of asize and shape corresponding accurately tothat ofthe shoe which is to be made thereon.` Thei'lastffplate llmayfbe made of metal, ber- 45m board or the like and, as shown, it isfdetachably secured to the last bymeans of a spring clip 22 on the` inner side of the plate which extends intoa groove `2li. in the last bottom and cooperates with a staple` 26, the legs` oi which are driven 50 into the last bottom at` opposite sides of the c groove 24.. The clip 22- is secured at its front end` to the plate I8 by means of rivets 28 and` itis formed with a.` yieldingV hook portion 30 which` normally extends beneath the crossbar of p late upon its f Zit the staple which bridges the groove in the lastl and thus holds the bottom plate I8 securely in place on the last with the edge of the plate alined with the bottom edge of the body of the last. The construction of the spring clip 22 is such, however, that when the lastis moved rearwardly relatively to the platey the crossbar of the staple in the lastwill ride over a cam surface 32 (Fig. 3) on the clip causing the hook portion 30 of the clip to yield so that it will release the staple and the plate will be disconnected from the last. The clip 22 is also formed with a downturned rear extremity 34 which enables the clip to enter beneath the crossbar of the staple when it is desired to return the plat'e into its assembled relation to the last. As shown, also, the plate I8 is provided with a plurality of apertures 36 through which pulling-over tacks may be driven into the wood of the. last bottom for holding the upper of a shoe in place after it has been pulled over on the last or, if desir-ed, for receiving tacks for holding the overlasted margin of the upper in place during the setting of the lasting cement.

In practicing my improved method of shoemaking, as illustrated in Figs. 4 to 10, inclusive, the bottom plate I8 is `detachably secured to the last I6, as shown infFig. 1, a heel and shank reinforcing piece 40, shaped to cover the heel and shank areas of the last bottom, is applied to the last and is temporarily secured in place by means of upstanding tacks 42, and an upper 44 having a lining 46 assembled therewith is mounted upon the last and secured in place by one or more tacks 48 which are driven into the heel end of the last. The heel and shank piece 40 is beveled to a thin edge at its forward end, and is applied with its forward portion overlapping the rear portion of the bottom plate I8, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6. f

A forepart insole member 50 (Fig. 4) is provided for use in conjunction with the heel and shank piece 40 to constitute the insole of the shoe. This insole member 5B is formed of thin limpmaterial, such for example as soft and pliable upper leather, and is died out or otherwise shaped to a marginal contour corresponding to that of the last bottom plate I8. Either before or after the heel and shank piece 40 has been applied to the last the insole member 50 is laid over the outer surface ofthe bottom plate I8 and is temporarily secured directly to the latter by means of cement, for example, rubber latex, the cement having such limited adhesive power that while it will secure the insole member to the bottom plate so as rmly to resist lasting stress, it will nevertheless permit the plate to be readily stripped from the insole at a later stage as will be hereinafter explained. Preferably, however, the insole member 50 is applied after the heel and shank piece 40 has been tacked to the last so that the rear portion of the insole member will be overlapped upon and secured by cement to the heel and shank piece. Thus a full length insole is provided the heel and shank portion of which is relatively stiff and rigid and the forepart of which is relatively soft and pliable.

The upperparts are now pulled over the forepart of the last and temporarily secured in place by pulling-over `tacks 52, the tacks extending through the holes 36 in the bottom plate and into the bodyof the last. The upper parts are then worked over the shank portion of the last and their marginal portions are permanently secured' in overla'sted relation upon theheel and shank reinforcing piece as by means of cement or staples 54.

The shoe is now in condition to have its forepart and heel portion lasted and advantageously both these operations may be performed by means of a bed lasting machine such, for example, as that disclosed in United States Letters Patent No. 2,117,331, granted May 17, 1938, upon application of J. C. Jorgensen. In the use of such a machine the forepart of the shoe, as illustrated in Fig. '7, is clamped by a toe band 56 which frictionally engages the upper at opposite sides of the forepart and holds it firmly while the lasting operations about to be described are performed.

The pulling-over tacks 52 are now removed, cement is applied to the inner side of the lasting allowance of the lining and between the margins of the lining and the upper, and the marginal portions of the upper and the lining are pulled up and smoothly and tightly wiped over the forepart insole 50 from opposite sides of the last by means of wiper members, not shown, and the upper materials are secured to each other and to the insole member by means of the cement. By the use of the same bed lasting machine the heel end of the upper may be lasted and secured to the heel and shank piece 40.

After the lasting cement has set the shoe may be removed from the bed lasting machine, the tacks 42 removed from the heel and shank piece d, and a tread sole 58 permanently attached as by means of cement, the cement serving to preserve the lasted outline of the forepart of the shoe. As shown, the outsole is marginally reduced in its forepart, thus providing a forepart elevation 6I! for filling the space within the edges of the overlasted margins of the upper materials in the forepart of the shoe. At this stage of operations a heel 62 may be temporarily attached if desired.

The last I6 is now removed from the shoe by the usual last pulling operation, the rearward movement of the last causing the crossbar of the staple 28 in the last to ride out of the hook portion 39 of the spring clip 22 of the bottom plate I8, thus leaving the bottom plate within the shoe, the bottom plate being still secured by cement of limited adhesive power to the forepart insole member 50. The operator now reaches into the forepart of the shoe and removes the bottom plate I8 by stripping or peeling it from the forepart insole member 50. Because of the stiffness or substantial rigidity of the bottom plate it is a very simple operation to detach it from the insole member in this manner. The bottom plate is subsequently reapplied to the last by introducing the downwardly curved rear extension 34 of the spring clip 22 beneath the crossbar of the staple 26 and merely sliding the plate rearwardly relatively to the last until the hook portion 3) engages with the staple. The last is then ready to be used again in the manufacture of another shoe.

The heel 62 may now be permanently attached as by means of nails driven from the inside of the shoe and the necessary finishing operations may be performed including, if desired, the insertion of a sock lining so as to cover the joint between the shank piece 48 and the forepart insole member 50.

In the practice of the above-described method the last bottom plate serves as a backing for the thin limp insole forepart member which of itself would notlhave suilicient rigidity to prevent it from'buckling under the inward wiping action ofz'ithei lasting; instrumentalities.` i This *not only facilitateslthe` lasting of the forepart of the uping ofthe tread sole and no possibility of the thin insole `member becoming displaced or distorted in the performance of the sole attaching operation.. ,Moreoveig since the bottomplates can be usedrepeatedly ,they expense of providing new backing pieces for each insole forepart member isavoided. 't

In order to insure arnaximum degree of flexibility in the forepartsof shoe bottoms I contemplate also the manufacture of shoes without any insole elements in their foreparts. In carrying out this feature of my invention I provide a last having a` detachable bottom plate such as that already described. Howeveninstead of cementing an insole forepart member to the bottom plate and securing the Voverlasted margins of the upper materials to the insole member, I secure the upper materials by cement directly `to the bottom plate itself, as indicated in Fig. 1l, using a cement of] relatively weak holding power so as to facilitate` the subsequent removal of the bottom plate from the shoe. After the lasting cement has set and a tread solehas been permanently attacled to the shoe the last is pulled thereby separating it from the bottom plate and leaving the bottom plate in the shoe. The bottom plate is then pried away from the margin of the upper, the cement between the upper and the plate yielding readily because of its limited holding power to facilitate removal of the plate from theshoe. Preferably a vsock lining will be applied to cover the edge of the inturned margin of the upper.

Alternatively, the detachable bottom plate may be temporarily secured in place upon the last bottom by means of fastenings, such as nails 64, tacks, screws or the like, as indicated in Fig. 12, the fastenings being driven through holes E6 in the plate H80 and into the wood of the last. These fastenings will securely hold the bottom plate in place during the lasting operations and may be readily Withdrawn before the tread sole is applied. In case an insole member is to be employed in the forepart of the` shoe the insole member may be temporarily secured by means of cement to the bottom plate before the latter is attached to the last and thereafter the nails or tacks 64 may be driven through the insole member and through the holes 66 in the plate and into the last. After the lasting operation has been completed and before the tread sole is applied the nails or tacks 64 will be removed, thereby d'etaching the bottom plate from the last and after the last has been pulled (leaving the bottom plate in the shoe) the plate may be readily removed by stripping it from the insole member, or from the overlasted margin of the upper, as the case may be.

Having described my invention, What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. That improvement in methods of making shoes with flexible foreparts which comprises applying a heel and shank reinforcing piece to the bottom of a last having a detachable bottom plate upon its forepart, Working an upper over the la-st,` permanently securing the overlasted margin` of the upper to said heel and shank piece, detachably connecting the overlasted margin of the upper to the marginal portion at the outer side of said bottom plate in` the forepart of the shoe, permanently attaching an outsole to the overlasted margin of the upper, there` after pulling the last leaving said bottom plate in the shoe, and finally removing said bottom plate from the shoe.

2. That improvement in methods of making shoes with fiexible foreparts which comprises providinga last having a removable bottom platenently securing the margin of the upper in over-` lasted position upon said heel and shank piece, overlasting the margin of the forepart of the upper above said bottom plate and detachably connecting said overlasted upper margin with the bottom plate, permanently attaching an outsole to the overlasted margin of the upper, pulling the last and leaving the said bottom plate in the shoe, and thereafter removing said bottom plate.

3. That improvement in meth-ods of making shoes with iiexible foreparts which comprises providing a last having removably secured to its forepart a stilf bottom plate coextensive with the bottom of the forepart of the last, applying a heel and shank reinforcing piece to the bottom of the last, working an upper over the last, permanently securing the overlasted upper margin to said heel and shank piece, overlasting the margin of the upper above said bottom` plate in the forepart of the shoe and detachably connecting said overlasted margin with said bottom plate, permanently securing the upper in overlasted position upon said heel and shank piece at the heel end of the shoe, attaching an outsole to the overlasted margin of the upper, pulling the last leaving said bottom plate in the shoe, and thereafter removing the bottom plate from the shoe.

4. That improvement in methods of making shoes with flexible foreparts which comprises providing a last having secured to its forepart a bottom plate capable of detachment from the last by the operation of pulling the last from a shoe made thereon, applying a heel and shank reinforcing piece to the bottom of the last, working `an upper over the last, permanently securing the overlasted upper margin to said heel and shank piece, overlasting the margin of the upper above said bottom plate in the forepart of the shoe, cementing said overlasted margin to said bottom plate, attaching an outsole to the overlasted margin of the upper, pulling the last `thereby detaching it from said bottom plate, and thereafter stripping said bottom plate from said overlasted upper margin.

5. That improvement in methods of making shoes with flexible foreparts which comprises providing a last having secured to its forepart a bottom plate capable of detachment from the last by movement of the last rearwardly relatively to said plate, applying a heel and shank reinforcing piece to the bottom of the last, working an upper and an upper lining over the last and holding the upper and the lining in tensioned condition against the last, permanently attaching the margins of the upper and the lining to the heel and shank piece, applying cement to the inner side of the margin of the lining and between the marginsof the lining and the upper,`

wiping the margins of the upper and the lining over the outer side of said bottom plate thereby temporarily securing the lining to the bottom plate and permanently securing the upper to the lining, attaching an outsole to the overlasted margin of the upper, pulling the last thereby detaching it from said bottom plate and leaving the latter in the shoe, and thereafter stripping the bottom plate from the upper lining and removing the plate from the shoe.

6. That improvement in methods of making shoes with exible foreparts which comprises providing a last having secured to its forepart a bottom plate capable of detachment from the last by relative lengthwise movement of the last and the plate, applying a heel and shank reinforcing piece to the bottom of the last, detachably securing a limp forepart insole to said bottom plate, working an upper over the last and securing the margin of the upper in overlasted position upon said insole and said heel and shank piece, attaching an outsole to said overlasted upper margin, removing the last from the shoe thereby detaching the last from said bottom plate and leaving the latter in the shoe, and thereafter detaching said bottom plate from said insole and removing said plate from the shoe.

7. That improvement in methods of making shoes with ilexible foreparts which comprises proiding a last having detachably secured to the bottom of its forepart a stiff lasting plate, applying a heel and shank reinforcing piece to the bottom of the last, cementing a limp insole forepart piece to said lasting plate and to the forward portion of said heel and shank piece, working an upper over the last and securing the margin of the upper in overlasted position upon said insole piece and said heel and shank piece, attaching an outsole to the overlasted upper margin, pulling the last thereby detaching it from said plate and leaving the latter in the shoe, and thereafter stripping said plate from said insole piece and removing the plate from the shoe.

8. That improvement in methods of making shoes with eXible oreparts which comprises providing a last having detachably secured to its forepart a lasting plate formed with openings for receiving pulling-over tacks, tacking a heel and shank reinforcing piece to the bottom of the last, cementing the rear portion of a limp forepart insole to the forward portion of said heel and shank piece and detachably securing said insole to the outer side of said lasting plate, pulling an upper over said last and securing its margins to the last bottom by means of tacks driven through said openings, removing said pulling-over tacks, securing the margin of the upper in overlasted position upon said insole and said heel and shank piece, attaching an outsole, pulling the last thereby detaching it from said plate, stripping said plate from said insole, and removing the plate from the shoe.

MICHELE CUOZZO. 

